Adjustable head band



F. M. BOWERS ADJUSTABLE HEAD BAND Filed Oct. 1, 1957 March 22, 1938.

INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

3 Claims.

This invention relates to head bands such as are commonly employed in conjunction with welding helmets and similar protective devices for the purpose of supporting the helmet in position on the head of the wearer.

At the present time it is common practice in the art of welding helmets to employ a head band of the character above identified which is adjustable so as to provide a proper fit with the head of the wearer. However, known devices of this character are not meeting with complete approval in that considerable difliculty and inconvenience is experienced in obtaining the required adjustment.

Accordingly this inventionhas in view, as its foremost objective, the provision of an adjustable head band of the character above noted which is automatically and easily adjusted to the size of the head of the wearer. In carrying out this objective in a practical embodiment this invention contemplates an arrangement wherein the head band consists of a strip. of material designed to encompass the head of the wearer, and which strip has a pair of free ends that are relatively movable to provide the required adjustment.

In accordance with the present invention these ends are received in a casing that is disposed A about the free ends of the strip, and yieldable means is associated with the free ends to constantly exert a tendency drawing these ends together. However, this yieldable means may be overcome to spread, the ends apart as occasion demands.

In this connection a particularly important a feature of the invention is tied up with the presence of this yieldable means which preferably will take the form of a light tension coil spring. With the head band disposed about the head of the wearer, and the spring exerting a tendency to pull the free extremities together, a good grip by the band on the wearer's head is assured, and at the same time thelight tension in the spring does not materially interfere with the comfort with which the band may be worn.

Another somewhat more detailed object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable head band of the character above described in which means is included for limiting the amount of movement of the free extremities of the strip with respect to the casing in which they are received. This object of the invention is achieved by availing of a flattened-out tubular member as the casing element, and one side of the flattenedout tubular member is formed witha slot. The free extremities of the strip are snugly received in the slot, and protuberances are placed on the free ends of the strip in the slot, and each protuberance performs two functions. In the first instance they constitute a means for anchoring the extremities of the coil spring to the free extremities of the strip, and by cooperating with the end walls of the slot they constitute the means for limiting movement of the free extremities of the strip with respect to the casing.

Various other more detailed objects and 'ad- 10 vantages of the invention will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated.

The invention, therefore, comprises an adjustable head band of the character above described in which a strip of material constituting the head 15 band is arranged with a pair of free'extremities that are relatively movable to provide the required adjustment. These free extremities are disposed in a casing consisting of a flattened-out tubular member which snugly receives the free ends, and a flat wall of the casing is provided 20 with a slot. Each end portion adjacent a free extremity of the strip is provided witha protuberance that cooperates .with the ends of the slot to constitute a stop, and a coil spring is anchored at each end to these protuberances. This coil 2 spring constantly exerts a tendency to draw the free ends towards each other.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, 30

wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a head band which is rendered adjustable in accordance with the precepts of this invention, 3

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional showing taken through the casing and the free ends of the strip which constitute the adjustable feature, and

Figure 3 is a side elevational showing taken about on a plane at right-angles to the showing 40 of Figure 2.

At this .point it is well to note that an adjust- 'able head band may be made with only one adtirety by the reference character B is shown as 55 including two of the adjustable connections. each being referred to in its entirety at C and D respectively. In this embodiment of the invention the head band 13 comprises side strips i0 and II each of which has free ends that constitute part of the adjustable connections 0 and D. Inasmuch as the adjustable connections C and D are identical, only one of them will be here described for the purpose of this specification.

Ordinarily the head band B includes a top cross piece it that is anchored at each end to the side strips l0 and ii respectively, as indicated at it and it. This cross piece II may also include turned-back portions IS on which is pivotally mounted the welding helmet (not illustrated).

It is notable that each of the strips i0, I I, and It may be made from any suitable material, although the invention has particularly in mind the use of a fibrous material that is particularly adapted to the manufacturing operations which result in the formation of the finished article that has the desired properties of strength and rigidity. I

Referring now more particularly to Figures 2 and 3, a free end of each of the strips in and ii is shown as being received in a casing II. This casing l1 preferably takes the form of a flattenedout tubular element which snugly encompasses the strips l0 and il adjacent their free ends. This casing I1 is curved to conform to the curvature of the corresponding portion of a wearer's head, and the outer flattened wall thereof is designated l8. This wall I8 is shown as formed with a slot l9 having curved end walls 20.

Protuberances such as the eyelets shown at 2! are carried by the strips Ill and II adjacent their free ends, and project up into the slot l9. Relative movement of the strip ill with respect to the casing I1 is limited by the end wall 20 of the slot is and the protuberance 2i which is adapted to engage thereagainst, and in a similar manner relative movement of the strip ii with respect to the casing I1 islimited by the corresponding endwall 20 of the slot l9 and the protuberance 2i that is carried by the strip II.

A light tension coil spring shown at 22 is anchored at each end to the eyelets 2|, and this spring 22 normally exerts a tendency drawing the free ends of the strips l0 and II together. However, it is obvious that the strips l0 and II may be spread apart against the influence of the spring 22.

When the adjustable head band hereinbefore described is to be placed on the head of the wearer, suificient force is applied to enlarge the complete head band, as defined by side pieces l0 and ii, and the casings i! of the connections C and D, to clear the head of the wearer. Upon this force being released the springs 22 and the connections C and D will tighten the strips. Ill and ii to cause a snug fit about the head of the wearer.

. to conform generally to the curvature of the head of a wearer, said casing having an outer wall formed with a slot, side strips of the head band extending into and snugly received in said casing and having free ends in the casing which are relatively movable, each side strip being provided with a protuberance adjacent to its free end, and which protuberance extends into the slot, and yieldable means constantly exerting a tendency together.

2. In an adjustable head band for'welding helmets and the like, an adjustable connection for the head band comprising a casing that is curved to conform generally to the curvature of the head of a wearer, said casing having an outer wall formed with a slot, side strips of the head band extending into and snugly received in said casing and having free ends in the casing which are relatively movable, each side strip being pro to draw the free ends of the strips vided with a protuberance adjacent to its free end, and which protuberance extends into the slot, and a coil spring having one end anchored to the protuberance on one strip and another end anchored to the protuberance on the other strip, said coil'spring being of light tension and exerting a tendency to draw the free ends of said strips together.

3. An adjustable head band of the character described comprising a pair of side strips having free extremities, the adjacent extremities of each side strip being connected by an adjustable connection, each of said adjustable connections consisting of a casing that snugly receives the portions of the side strips adjacent the ireeends thereof, said casing being a flattened-out tubular element that is curved to conform generally to I the curvature of the head of a wearer, the outer wall of said casing being formed with a slot, a

protuberance carried by each side strip adjacent its free end and projecting into said slot, each protuberance being adapted to cooperate with an extremity of the said slot to constitute a stop.

and a coil spring having one end anchored to end anchored to the protuberance on the other side strip. I

FREDERIQIK M. BOWERS.

. the protuberance on one side strip and the other 

